The Handbook of Astronomical Image Processing - 2nd Edition

This second edition of the Handbook of Astronomical Image Processing (HAIP) and its integral AIP for Windows 2.0 image processing software (AIP4Win2.0) addresses many important changes that have taken place in astronomical imaging since the publication of the first edition. Today's affordable astro-imaging capable digital single-lens-reflex cameras (DSLRs), the growing power of personal computers, and the proliferation of telescopes and imaging accessories has brought imaging capabilities within the reach of practically every amateur astronomer - and this second edition of the Handbook plus AIP4Win 2.0 is ready, willing, and able to assist every observer in making great astronomical images.

In the Handbook, we amplified the original chapters on astronomical equipment and imaging techniques, revised our discussions of astrometry and photometry to reflect the steady growth in these scientific fields, and expanded tutorials in the back of the book to help you get up to speed quickly. On the accompanying CDROM (found on the inside back cover) you will find hundreds of megabytes of sample images you can use to learn techniques such as image registration and stacking that guarantee good results even from those living with suburban and urban skies. Also new are comprehensive chapters on color imaging with astronomical CCD cameras and processing color images from digital cameras, and photon-counting fundamentals every serious astro-imager needs to know.

AIP4Win 2.0 retains its highly acclaimed interface but with significantly increased capabilities. Now, AIP4Win 2.0 processes all image data in 32-bit floating-point format to insure that you will not lose even one photon of precious light. Atop these powerful 32-bit floating-point core routines, we built an image display engine capable of showing you images in both color and black-and-white, from a minimum of 10% to a maximum of 1600% size. What you can load into AIP4Win2.0 and display is now limited only by the memory on board your personal computer - and this capability is not limited to black-and-white images - AIP4Win 2.0 now has a suite of sophisticated software tools for loading and processing astronomical color images plus new functions that predict the results you'll get when you make camera images and combine them in software.

AIP4Win 2.0 now has the ability to perform wavelet image enhancement, wavelet image analysis, and wavelet noise reduction - techniques so new they're not even mentioned in the classic works about image processing. The deconvolution procedures have been enhanced so not only do they run faster than ever before, but they also produce superior image enhancements. Also new is a suite of editing functions to fix bloated star images, patch image flaws, and smooth bothersome sky gradients along with an image display control that helps you visualize all the information - and beauty - contained in your digital images. In short, AIP4Win 2.0 is a full-featured image-processing program designed and optimized for loading, processing, and displaying astronomical images.